Hi SM (& others so interested).
A closer review of the AK colour scheme shows dark blue and orange with some red detailing. - Why? - not a chance choice for sure- they are the basics of the UK lifeboat scheme - SAR-H aircraft (in part) being the "lifeboats of the air" (I know -I can hear many saying that there are more overland jobs than sea these days... but that's not the point...).
The rationale was straight forward - choose a scheme that is different from all 3 present UK SAR operators (and avoid all the inevitable internecine warfare at senior levels that choice of any of the present ones will create (maybe?) - also help establish a new UK SAR-H corporate identity and ethos, and of course, in a very simplistic way, associate the similar rescue activites of the new UK SAR-H service with that of the RNLI given the long and continuing association of UK SAR helos and the RNLI over the last 6 decades. It might help create a unified identity to the UK public too.
Why do I know? - those of you who know me know why.....
Cheers